As a simulation game example, I think Sengoku Rance did really well at combining a branching story with an empire-building/army-fighting game. The gameplay was even engaging enough that it often became more compelling to keep playing for the simulation side rather than for the content that people probably picked the game up for originally.

It would be cool to see another game able to pull off that mix (though perhaps with milder content), but I'm also not sure if that would count as a less-involved project like you're contemplating here. Still, that's how I interpreted "Simulation" with my vote, since you at least listed "town building".

I haven't played that one, but I remember was mentioned already in the past. Yes something like that would be good, even if of course wouldn't probably count as smaller game but it's OK, in general I wanted to do smaller games but I could do a few exceptions.

Strategy and simulation they tend to go hand-in-hand. Like dating sims, they are emphasize managing resources, thus they might mesh together fairly well.

I would like combat sports, but I prefer real-time combat for that. You can get away with limited animation in turn-based games, but not in a fighting games. In spite of their simple premise, fighting games of any kind are surprisingly difficult to get right, hence the genre is dominated by devs who have established themselves in the 90s.

Yes, indeed that one could be more under simulation. Sports I imagine something more "active".
Anyway, interesting that the strategy/card is very low. Makes me think that when I do another card game, there will be basically no story, since I think was right to think that they don't work well together.